


Every Day I'm Learning

by idrilhadhafang



Series: Liquid Realities [13]
Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Episode: s03e09 The Family of Blood, Episode: s04e08 Human Nature, Gen, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-11
Updated: 2012-07-11
Packaged: 2017-11-09 15:37:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 547
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/457130
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/idrilhadhafang/pseuds/idrilhadhafang
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rose isn't sure if she can forgive the Doctor. Martha tries to help.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Every Day I'm Learning

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing.
> 
> Written for the prompt "bodyguards" (yes, I'll admit I got a bit interpretive here) for hurt_comfort bingo. Title taken from the song "On My Own" from LES MISERABLES.

By the time that Rose gets back to her room in the TARDIS, she's already angry. No matter how she tries to tell herself that she's not angry, that she shouldn't be angry, it doesn't work. If anything, it just makes it worse. How can he be so reluctant to admit what happened to the Family was wrong? It doesn't matter what they've done; imprisoning them in hellish places where they're not allowed the mercy of death -- more than anything, it's wrong. It doesn't matter who the Doctor is; it's wrong.   
  
Even now, flopping down on her bed in the TARDIS, Rose buries her face in the pillow. She's tired, worse than tired -- she's tired of all that death and destruction she witnessed that day. Granted, the Doctor had warned her, in that cryptic way of his, that the journey would not be an easy one, but even so...   
  
It's after a while that she hears the knock on the door. "Rose? Are you all right?"   
  
It's Martha.   
  
Rose sighs. "Come in."   
  
Martha does. Even now, Rose notices the shadows under her eyes -- she looks almost worn, really. Tired. Vulnerable. To see the usually composed, together medical student like this is enough to worry Rose -- she only prays that she can find a way to help Martha, if possible.   
  
"Are you all right?" Rose asks.   
  
"I am," Martha says. "I couldn't sleep."   
  
"Neither can I." Even now, Rose shudders remembering what the Doctor had done to the family. Her, reaching out in vain to stop the Doctor as he set out to enact vengeance on the Family. How he had imprisoned the Father in unbreakable chains as he screamed and pleaded for mercy.   
  
"Why should I?" the Doctor had said, so calmly. "You never did."   
  
He had tricked the Mother next, tricking her into falling into a black hole deep in space. The Daughter was next, trapping her in a mirror. Every mirror. And finally, the Son -- frozen in time, set to watch over the fields of England as their protector -- a karmic punishment considering how they had used animated scarecrows to steal others' bodies. They had wanted to live forever, so the Doctor had made sure they did.   
  
"Why not, Rose?" Martha's voice snaps her out of her thoughts.   
  
"I see...the Doctor. What he did to the Family." She doesn't hate the Doctor, of course, but even now, she cannot help but wonder if there could have been another way. The Doctor, of course, had tried to justify it -- tried to say he didn't want to do it, that he had no choice, and yet...   
  
"I keep hearing them screaming."   
  
"I do too." Martha shivers and closes her eyes. "I hear all of them screaming."   
  
Silence falls.   
  
"Martha," Rose says, "Can you keep me company for a bit? Just a bit?"   
  
"All right."   
  
It's even now, sitting on the bed, talking about books, talking about places they want to visit someday (and considering that they have the TARDIS, it's easier than one would think), at the very least for now, the memories of 1913 England and the Family of Blood are forgotten. For now.   
  
Tomorrow, perhaps, she can speak with the Doctor and make amends.   
  
Tomorrow, perhaps, they can get back on good terms.   
  
Hopefully.


End file.
